


Myths of the Those Who Came After

by UnknownEnigma



Series: Invictus [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Creation Myth, Fate & Destiny, Gen, Justice, Love, Magic, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, The Great One, Time - Freeform, life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:57:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownEnigma/pseuds/UnknownEnigma
Summary: Every Wix, in every country, on every continent, knew some version of the tale of how they came to be.How could they not?For as much as humans have changed, narcissism and an inclination for tall, elaborate stories have remained.Maybe that's why the younger, mundane born Wix were less likely to heed the warnings of Old. The most heinous crime of mundanes is ripping away the sweet embrace of imagination and then filling the hole with a scepticism that shielded them from anything truly magic. They view magic as a force and not an entity. How sad.Yet, the Blooded keep the flame alive, and now you do too.This is an anthology of the myths that underpin the world of Blood, Sex, and Magick, explaining many of the underlying concepts and beliefs of the Wix.





	Myths of the Those Who Came After

**Author's Note:**

> K’s note: I am so excited to introduce this fic, because I think it’s such a good setup for all the fics that come after this. We’ve thought really hard about this worldbuilding, and it’ll play a huge role in both upcoming fics in this series and the main story itself. I hope you enjoy it! Please do leave comments; we’d love to discuss with you and always encourage conversation.
> 
> Please note: The religious beliefs discussed here are presented in a way that mesh with our worldbuilding. They are not religious beliefs held by myself or Nay. If you are devoutly religious or feel that you cannot tolerate fictional religious beliefs other than your own, please don’t feel forced to read this fic. That being said, strands of these beliefs will be present in all of our fics, so keep that in mind.
> 
> Nay’s note: Hiya ALL! We haven't updated in a hot minute but that's because we're ironing out kinks for you guys! So please be patient and enjoy the world we're creating and take a gander at the legends, myths and stories from the world of Wix. Enjoy!

**The Myth of Magick**

**Summary:** The tale of how Wix gained magic.

* * *

 

**There was no dispute amongst the Wix about how they came to be; it was an unspoken rule.**

* * *

Every Wix, in every country, on every continent, knew some version of the tale of how they came to be.

How could they not?

For as much as humans have changed, narcissism and an inclination for tall, elaborate stories have remained.

Maybe that's why the younger, mundane born wix were less likely to heed the warnings of Old. The most heinous crime of mundanes is ripping away the sweet embrace of imagination and then filling the hole with a scepticism that shielded them from anything truly magic. They view magic as a force and not an entity. How sad.

Yet, the Blooded keep the flame alive, and now you do too.

All wix are taught that The One formed humanity out of nothingness. The One smoothed out the flat plains of Africa, pinched the peaks of the Himalayas into existence, and blew the Great Winds of the North into conception, and when The One was finally done, IT breathed Life over the world. However, The One ultimately left the needs of humanity in the hands of the Those Who Came After.

Those Who Came After were the creations of The Great One - none of them could remember a time before their parent or each other. Life, Time, Fate, Destiny, Justice, Love, and Magick. They were sent to govern the new world and IT’s newest creations.

Life arrived first, as he always does. His essence was blown into his parent’s creation by The Great One. Life’s essence permeated everything on this planet, every seed and every animal. The young creation was infused with Life’s essence, anticipating the spark that would set them alight. Life governed all creation in The Great One’s stead and would help them flourish in the way his parent asked.

Time descended next. He came before Life was finished - early and unwanted by his brother, with a bright grin and cocky eyes, around him floating numbers and signs that no one else could decipher.

Time thought he could perfect his brother’s newest pet project. And so he did. Calibrating the sun, moon, and stars to the waters that sprang forth out of the deep. While his brother governed humanity’s existence on a cellular level, Time wanted to control the world around them - the coming of the moon and the setting of the sun, the rotations humans would later call seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years - Time would rule over them all.

Time perfected the conditions for Life, so the other begrudgingly allowed him to stay and share the new world.

Our world. The planet we call Earth.

Together they shaped the foundation The One left and their work culminated in Life leaning down over one of the human shells he found in the dirt, lighting the spark inside the clay beings. Both watched with bated breath as the spark caught and flowed through the veins of the human. The earth pulsed.

Humanity rose out of the ground, the red soil still clinging to their body, some falling to the ground in clumps. Their head was cocked to the side and their mouths were closed. I'm sure we humans were unlike any other creature Life and Time had come across before, but Life and Time were interested in us so they stayed and ruled over humanity.

Later, sisters Fate and Destiny arrived on the planet with identical looks of derision and annoyance. Life and Time had been truant from The Great One’s side for many aeons and they had wondered where their wayward siblings had gone.

The first thing they noticed when they arrived was that our little blue planet was unlike anywhere else that they had been. At this point in our collective existence, humanity was aimless - no direction, no purpose and, contrary to what many believe, full of potential. Fate could have felt a yearning to stay brewing within her, I don't know for certain.

Still, it must have come as no surprise that once she began meddling she didn’t want to leave. Destiny was pulled into her sister’s newest project kicking and screaming; she found humans boring creatures, but her sister was a tad bit boring too, and they had been intertwined for longer than we could ever comprehend.

See, according to Destiny, Fate’s plan for humanity was boring and common. Fate liked clear set paths and daily scavenging, while Destiny saw great adventures in foreign lands not yet explored and stories not told. Kinda like this one.

Destiny could sense potential within the frail shells that pulsed with Life’s essence. Isn’t that a poetic way of describing us?

Still, she was stubborn and didn't want to admit her fascination, so it took Time casting his spell on her, wearing her down ever so slowly. Years later, Destiny felt some attachment to The One’s creation. In those times, we lived a lot closer to Those Who Came After and humans would come to her to learn of their personal destinies - the best harvest seasons, the best woodworkers, and the wisest sages - and she enjoyed being wanted, everyone does.

Justice arrived just as Those Who Came After began to argue over the affections of us humans, and I'm sure they were thankful she arrived when she did. Justice quickly found her place amongst humanity, imparting systems of equanimity and democracy. She found her niche amongst beings that thirsted to learn and lavished in her role. Never let it be said that we humans would pass up an opportunity to learn. She did not put an end to all arguments, I'm not sure anyone could, but she brought the idea of a fair judge and that's been a worthwhile blessing to all humans who've ever been to court. Ha!

Love came to Earth after travelling to and fro across the Great Worlds. He arrived expecting to meet with his siblings and flee the newest world as soon as possible - unlike his siblings he held no interest in the process of teaching.

It was all too tedious for him, but soon he too was sucked into the seduction of manipulation. Humans, which you no doubt know already, play very reckless with their hearts. Love found much amusement in manipulating his parent’s creation and playing with sisters Fate and Destiny. They took their roles much too seriously for him and so he meddled with humanity’s fickle emotions, foiling their nice neat plans and finding endless joy at their expense. Later he realised, he’d been on the ‘useless patch of dirt,’ as he called, for many millennia and hadn’t yet felt his usual boredom and wanderlust.

Last, but not least, came Magick. When Magick descended, she found no role was left for her on the new world - she came far too late for that, though the reasoning for her fashionable lateness was quite endearing.

Magick had come bearing gifts. The gifts of wonder and imagination, the type of magic we now associate with fairytales and our youth, is all from Mother Magick and for that, we should rejoice. Despite all of this, she still had no clear role to call her own. Nothing to guard each day and regulate on earth, and so Magick grew discontent.

* * *

One day, the Great One came to see how ITs children had fared amongst humanity. Our world was much different than the others, but IT was pleased at all that they had accomplished here.

The One saw Life flourishing amongst us, finding delight in searching out and finding each clay vessel the Great One had created and hidden.

Life felt giddiness in each human he gave his spark and fanned the flames of his essence. Life was possessive of each small vessel that breathed deeply, smiled brightly, and looked owlishly at him. The One was pleased to see that Life held affection for the young creations, though IT noted his possessiveness.

The Great One could see that Time enjoyed the keeping of his domain, the adoration humanity held for him, the lust they felt for him - he was truly flattered and the Great One could see it in the skip in his step.

Fate and Destiny still bickered, though the Great One noticed Destiny had acquired another face called Chance at some point, and Love was still his typical self. It was only Magick who was not content.

The Great One saw the despair of ITs child and sought to alleviate the emptiness she felt, like any caring parent. The Great One thought for hours, day and night for seven days, and arrived at a conclusion.

Despite Life governing the majority of humanity, Magick would be allowed to govern two humans who would walk with her. These humans would be allowed to wield a part of her essence and be one with Magick.

Life hated the idea of sharing humanity. He didn't want to lose a single human to his sister, but as Magick was the youngest he relented. However, he made her vow that two, and only two, of his precious humans would be taken.

And so, Those Who Came After made an agreement, presided over by The Great One and sealed by Justice - Magick would get two, and only two, humans with whom she would share her essence, and they would walk with her, and she would have to be content.

They do say that the best laid plans often go awry, and I'm sure that idiom was invented for Magick.

Despite all of the long arduous debating, arguing, and treaty-writing, Magick’s first attempts were not successful.

Magick searched high and low for suitable vessels. The world was not as we know it now, organised and sectioned by neat little borders. Instead it was organised chaos, trees sprouting from the misty waters, mountains on top of mountains, and deep caverns that opened to show lakes of purple and lands of red. It was a much different place to today's world, you have to understand, and so it wasn't easy to find humans. They were nimble, shy creatures that liked to hide in the nooks and crannies of the world - only venturing out to see our Father Life.

And we all know that Life wasn't about to help Magick, he had already let her have two of his precious beings, so Magick was alone on her search.

Her early searches brought her Thut and Phuak, two mischievous humans who would wave at her when she passed them as they communed with Life, sitting at his feet.

They would wish her well, bring her sacrifices of vegetables and berries, for she had no followers of her own, and spent hours tending the flowers she so loved to lean down and sniff. These days, if a man does that for a woman she's inclined to think that there's something brewing between them, but in these times gestures of affection were not so sexualised.

Alas, Life did not so readily agree with his sister. He didn't want to lose his humans, but was bound by his oath and therefore sent the humans to Magick.

Magick was brimming with happiness, after all this time who could blame her, she would finally get her own disciples. Sadly, this did not come to be.

When Thut and Phuak came to receive Magick, her essence was too powerful for them and attempted to transfigure their flesh into a better vessel.

She peered down and leaked eye water when she realised her chosen could not contain her essence within their human shells. Thut took his last breath as the spark of Life left him and disintegrated into pure energy, becoming one with the world, as Phuak succumbed to her essence in much the same way.

Life was _livid_.

For days, he screamed, raged, and cried out for the loss of his humans. He could still feel them, as humans are forever an extension of Life - that will never change. But, no longer would Thut and Phuak sit at his feet and commune with him, and it pained his being. Grief is a pain well learnt at the feet of our Father Life and one lesson we've kept.

Magick profusely apologised but the more she spoke the angrier he became, until she left his garden and travelled to distant lands on Earth.

While Life ranted and raved, Magick sought a hiding place. While scouting around the mountains we call Kilimanjaro, she saw spied another. There, living her life to the fullest, was another human with a wild and untameable spirit.

This was Citi and she was the second attempt by Magick to create a vessel. She spent many a year grooming Citi, building her up to the best physical shape possible, however it was all for nought. Citi fell the way of her human brothers, becoming one with Life’s energy as Magick tried to imbibe her with her essence. Another human life was lost and still Magick had no one.

And again Life _raged_.

You have to understand, until Magick’s meddling, humans were essentially immortal. They chose when they would shuffle off their mortal coils and return their sparks to Life. It was always a joyous affair, with a great celebration and Life invited to ease the transfer.

Magick’s attempts were the first time that Life’s humans had unwillingly returned to him. Their sparks echoed with a pain and suffering that polluted the rest of the world’s as-yet-unborn sparks. It was unlikely that they would return to physical bodies anytime soon, if ever.

The results of Magick’s attempts were an unwelcome change to the world, and to Life’s domain in particular. But he had promised. So he had no choice but to allow her to continue.

* * *

Magick knew her brother grew agitated with her failed attempts and felt pain at the change in his humans. So Magick hid away. Ever so often she’d try again, blessing a human to carry her essence, only for them to turn to Life’s energy and became a part of the world essence.

However, after thousands of years of ache and a millennia of pain, one man accepted Magick into his life and thrived under her care.

His name was Adamah and he was as solid as the ground he walked upon. Upright and proud. He walked to her and told her he was the one for her.

Magick was elated and coddled Adamah under her care. For many years, they were each other’s companion, walking across the green and blue world. She taught him everything she knew of his powers.

But Time waited for no one and even with her essence, Adamah soon grew weary of spending his days walking alone as his fellow humans learned how to love. So he spent days sitting on a great rock in the centre of a rocky mountain range separated from Magick.

Magick saw his pain and sought to alleviate it, and she decided to find him a companion. For she was promised two by Life, and she only had one.

However, no matter how high or low she searched, she could not find another who called to her like Adamah. And so, she pleaded with Life and he granted his youngest sister another boon.

One night, while Adamah slept, she stole a rib from his chest. After she brought the bone to Life, her brother mixed the clay from which humans were made and shaped Adamah a companion, before breathing his essence into her lips.

Life named her Havah, meaning breath, for he breathed life into her. Then he reminded Magick that the promise was fulfilled - she now had two vessels to love.

Magick was elated and brought Havah to Adamah, hoping that they would get along.

They did not.

Centuries were spent with the couple bickering, never agreeing on even the littlest of things. However, as the old adage goes, Time - literally, in this case - changes all things and soon they realised that no other being would ever understand their relationship with Magick and so were established the foundations for cohabitation and love. Whatever they are.

They were happy with just each other for many many millennia, but then they grew weary. While their old human companions moved away and made families and went through life together, they only had each other. Occasionally, they wished to sit at Life’s feet and hear stories of distant realms and other peoples as they used to, but Life’s children ran every time they approached. They were touched by another, and Life’s children would never see them as the same.

Adamah and Havah grew discontent at their exclusion and Magick grew sad alongside her children. She wanted more for them. She wanted them to be happy, and so she petitioned her brother Life once again.

As the eldest of all of Those Who Came After, Life had a self-inflicted responsibility. He watched over his siblings and he was the one that they all turned to when they needed something. Especially Magick, who was generally coddled, as all youngest siblings are.

Magick knew she would have to plot and scheme to be allowed what she so desperately wanted, and that is what she did. She petitioned Life to bless Adamah and Havah with his life bearing powers, to give them others who at least would not shy away from even seeing them.

Life did not find humour or truth in her request and was quick to anger after her petition.

Magick pleaded on the behalf of her chosen and it went on for years, until Life relented with one demand. Adamah and Havah would bear two children to replace themselves at Life’s side. Those children would become Life’s again.

Magick reluctantly agreed and brought Adamah and Havah back to Life for a blessing.

It was not long until Havah was pregnant and brought forth two children to love. While I truly detest the screaming, waste dispensers we call babies, Magick thought the twins the most beautiful things she ever saw, as all women usually do.

These children had unimaginable potential but no magic. Additionally, they had names I'm sure you're familiar with - Myrddin and Morgana, named after our Mother Magick.

I want you all to remember that even the Those Who Came After can be subject to greed, and Mother Magick is no better.

Magick wanted Myrddin and Morgana for herself.

However, despite her pleading, Life told her no, because not only had she only been promised two by their original agreement, she had further promised Myrddin and Morganna to him.

He had already gifted her Havah, Myrddin, and Morgana and she would get no more.

Magick relented and left him. But, Magick was not content. And as all youngest siblings do, she began to plot how she could get what she wanted.

* * *

Magick knew her plan was dangerous and inherently wrong. She had vowed to be content with just two humans, but, as all of us can attest, it is easy to desire nothing when you have nothing. It is when you have a taste of what you desire that greed and discontent rear their ugly heads.

Maybe that’s why she did not think of the repercussions of her actions. Though if she had, we wouldn’t be here.

Magick knew that her siblings would not agree with what she wanted to do, but she could not find it within her to not try. She knew Adamah and Havah grew tired of their life with her. They yearned to return to their original states, to sit with their clans at Life’s feet and watch as their Father wove tales of adventure and excitement of far-off worlds.

But in order to do so, she would have to rescind her gift to them, and then she would be left with none. After spending years with companions, Magick could not go back to being alone, and she did not have the patience to look for humans with naturally occuring talent for managing her gift.

In her heart of hearts, she would let Adamah and Havah go only if Mryddin and Morgana took their places.

So she planned just that.

* * *

When the vow Magick made before the Great One and Those Who Came After was broken, the backlash was immediate. As the magic of Adamah and Havah was torn from them and transferred to their children, Myrddin and Morganna, it was if the skies blazed with fire and night fell all at once, despite it being just past noon. It seemed as if the world had just taken a deep breath and paused before the exhale. The sudden rain froze where it had begun to fall, and the raindrops hung in the air like glittering diamonds.

Within the blink of an eye, the rest of Those Who Came After surrounded the small group. The humans could only freeze under their gazes, even as Life’s eyes burned with righteous indignation as he stepped towards the small group. Magick drew herself up and strode forward to face him, ready for the battle she had to have known was coming.

I will make sure to voice to you exactly how I perceive their conversations to have gone.

_“How dare you,” he hissed, spitting venom with his words. “You insipid, ungrateful cretin. After all, I did for you?” Life snarled in Magick’s face as his sister looked back with resolution in her eyes._

_“I did what was right. They should be mine,” Magick bit back, standing in front of the cowering humans._

_“No, no, you did not! You made a vow. Two and only two. **Two**. You do not get to decide now that you believe yourself to be entitled to more. It does not work that way, Magick, you made a vow. They were mine.”_

_Magick glared, unable to respond to the contract that Life had invoked, but her eyes blazed with the flames of her gifts. It was likely that the two would have gone on like that for years, but luckily for us, one of the others stepped in._

_“Magick, the consequences for breaking your vow are at our discretion, as you agreed to when you signed the contract, and we will carry it out accordingly. You obviously tried to subvert the agreement knowingly, and that brings down the harshest punishment on you and your children,” Justice spoke in a solemn tone. Despite feeling badly for her youngest sister, Justice had to carry out her duties, as she had been since she was created. Nothing subverted Justice, not even her own desires. In return for her words, Magick gave her a look of utter betrayal._

_Love stepped forward and bowed low to his sister, eyes clouded, misty and indiscernible. “I am Love, scion of the realm of Desire and Disgust, and just is my curse. For breaking their loyalty to Life, Magick’s chosen will not have loyalty to one another. I will split their fickle hearts so that they will never feel complete until they find their mate. That is my curse, so let it be.”_

_“ **So let it be**.”_

_Justice stepped forward and bowed. “I am Justice, scion of the realm of Peace and Regulations, and just is my curse. For breaking their vow and committing unjust behaviour, I curse the world of Magick’s chosen to be unjust, for justice to be used, abused, and taken from them. That is my curse, so let it be.”_

_“ **So let it be**.”_

_Fate and Destiny stepped forward and bowed together, twinned in this as they are in all things. Fate spoke first. “I am Fate, scion of the realm of the Past, Present, and Future, and just is my curse. For breaking their vow and trying to change their fates, I curse the chosen of Magick with discontent. Never again will they know of the path their life will take. Instead, they will wonder ever after what they once could know. That is my curse, so let it be.”_

_“ **So let it be**.”_

_“I am Destiny, second scion of the realm of Past, Present, and Future and just is my curse. For breaking their vow and their loyalty to Life, I curse Magick's chosen to be removed from communion with Destiny. Never again will they be able to petition their destiny and instead Chance will rule and chaos will erupt. That is my curse, so let it be."_

_“ **So let it be**.” _

_“I am Time, scion of the realm of Time and Variability and just is my curse. For breaking their commitment to Life, Magick's chosen will lose much of her gift as they grow older until they become old, frail, and weak. Time will ravage them. That is my curse, so let it be."_

_“ **So let it be**.” _

_“I am Life, scion of the realm of Creation and Destruction and just is my curse. For forsaking my good nature and my blessing I curse you with death. The ultimate separation from my gift. I curse you to return to the ground from whence you came and I curse the entirety of your line with this. You will live in fear of the imminent death of which you will never be told. That is my curse, so let it be."_

_“ **So let it be**.” _

_Under the weight of these curses, one after another, Magick and her children could only bow their heads. Before all of this, Magick had thought that she could appeal to her siblings, for she had always been forgiven her slights._

_But never before had she signed a contract under Justice’s purview, and with that, she was thwarted before she could even begin. And now her naivety had hurt not only herself but her children. These curses were not easy, and Magick, famed for the long-sightedness, could see the impact that they would have on her children’s lives, if they were even able to survive the levying of her siblings’ curses._

_But solace was imminent. Her despair and the breaking of the only agreement that Those Who Came After had ever made had drawn the Great IT’s attention. After the siblings had levied their curses, the Great IT manifested amongst them, forcing them to turn away, for even Those Who Came After could not stare at the light that made up the Great One._

_The Great One sighed, ITs disappointment washing over the assembled. “Do not look to me for absolution, Magick. There are consequences to your actions, Magick. You know better, you all do. Punishment was warranted. None can argue that, but to levy them so severely, that was not meet. You are brothers and sisters. How can you justify such behaviour?” Magick looked to the ground in shame as the others avoided the piercing gaze of the Great One._

_But Magick drew herself up and stepped forward with the courage that defined her character. “Great One, their punishment is too great for my humans to bear. You cannot allow your creations to endure so much, please.”_

_The Great One narrowed ITs eyes at Magick and she stepped back in slight fear. The Great One quirked ITs upper lip in a snarl and stared down Magick. “You do not get to tell me what to do with my creations, Magick, especially after how badly you have mismanaged your own. Know your place. You all have been allowed to run rampant for too long on Earth, and you all are culpable in the outcome.”_

_Life stepped forward, eyes flashing. “We only cursed the deceitful, lying corruptions that followed Magick. The rest of humanity is free to flourish, for they did not forsake me!” Life bellowed._

_The Great One raised an eyebrow, “So you did not take it upon yourself to create Havah, despite it not being your jurisdiction?” The Great One looked Life in the eyes. “Do not forget that you are not wholly innocent either. It was never permissible for you to create your own beings and supersede my authority.”_

_Life burned but said nothing, for he could not. The Great One shook ITs head and spoke to the assembled. “The burden is too much for just the chosen of Magick to bear. The curse of Death will extent to all humans with the spark of Life. The essence of Life will be extinguished when their time comes, their matter will return to the ground, their spark will return to Life, and their energy will become one with the world essence. However, just as the chosen of Magick, all humans will multiply by breeding and making new to replenish the lost so Life can thrive. As punishment to you, Life, your beloved humans will gain the ability to become wix and you will eventually lose as many humans as there are born. Magick, your punishment will be isolation from your chosen. Never again will you walk amongst humanity and commune with those of your essence. You will only be able to gaze upon them. That is my justice, so mote it be.”_

_There was silence before the Those Who Came After muttered “ **so mote it be** ” in return._

_When the shining light of the Great One vanished, the siblings and the cowering humans were left in a night that seemed all the darker for the light having vanished._

_“Are you happy now, Magick? You overreached, and now we have all been punished. You have your children. In fact, I’ll give you another gift. Your whole reason for this was to relieve Adamah and Havah of their powers and have them return to me, right? Fine. They will be the first I reap as Death. Congratulations. I hope you’re happy.” As he spoke, Life’s eyes flickered back and forth between spring green and the deepest, darkest black. His fire red hair began to pale to the whitest hoarfrost, and his teak brown skin paled further and further, until it was almost translucent. After he spat out his hate upon his former favorite sister, Life frowned down at his hands as he vanished, retreating from the world._

_Aiming disapproving frowns at Magick, the others flickered away, as if a flame blown out by the wind. And all that remained was the original, small group of Magick and her children._

_“What have we done? Magick, what have we done?” Havah’s horrified voice was the only thing heard on that empty plain for long days._

The world was never the same.

**...And here ends the tale of how the Wix came to be.**


End file.
